Focused Passage

Galatians 4:21-31

No Longer Slaves: Sonship, Pastoral Anguish, and Children of Promise

Paul moves from the temporary minority of heirs under guardians, to redemption and adoption through God's sent Son, to the Spirit's cry of sonship, then to pastoral anguish over the Galatians' regression, and finally to the contrast between slavery and promise through Hagar and Sarah.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?

22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.

23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.

24 These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar.

25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.

26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

27 For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”

28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

29 At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now.

30 But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”

31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 21

Original words

Tell Λέγετέ G3004 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural me μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular [you] who οἱ G3588 Article - Vocative Masculine Plural want θέλοντες G2309 Verb - Present Participle Active - Vocative Masculine Plural to be εἶναι G1510 Verb - Present Infinitive Active under ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition [the] law νόμον G3551 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb do you not understand [what] ἀκούετε G191 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular law [says] νόμον G3551 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 22

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction it is written γέγραπται G1125 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction Abraham Ἀβραὰμ G11 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular had ἔσχεν G2192 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular two δύο G1417 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural sons υἱοὺς G5207 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural one ἕνα G1520 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular by ἐκ G1537 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular slave woman παιδίσκης G3814 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction [the other] ἕνα G1520 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular by ἐκ G1537 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular free [woman] ἐλευθέρας G1658 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • See Genesis 16:15 and Genesis 21:2–3.
Verse 23

Original words

- ἀλλ’ G235 Conjunction - μὲν G3303 Conjunction His [son] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular by ἐκ G1537 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular slave woman παιδίσκης G3814 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular was born γεγέννηται G1080 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular according to κατὰ G2596 Preposition [the] flesh σάρκα G4561 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular [but] δὲ G1161 Conjunction [his son] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular by ἐκ G1537 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular free [woman] ἐλευθέρας G1658 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular [was born] through δι’* G1223 Preposition the 〈τῆς〉 G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular promise ἐπαγγελίας G1860 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 24

Original words

These [things] ἅτινά G3748 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural vvv ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular serve as illustrations ἀλληγορούμενα G238 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Plural for γάρ G1063 Conjunction [the women] αὗται G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Plural represent εἰσιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural two δύο G1417 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural covenants διαθῆκαι G1242 Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural - μὲν G3303 Conjunction One [covenant] μία G1520 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular [is] from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition Mount ὄρους G3735 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular Sinai Σινᾶ G4614 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular [and bears] children γεννῶσα G1080 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular into εἰς G1519 Preposition slavery δουλείαν G1397 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular This ἥτις G3748 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular is ἐστὶν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Hagar Ἁγάρ G28 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Verse 25

Original words

Now δὲ G1161 Conjunction - τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular Hagar Ἁγὰρ G28 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular stands for ἐστὶν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Mount ὄρος G3735 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular Sinai Σινᾶ G4614 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular Arabia Ἀραβίᾳ G688 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular and δὲ G1161 Conjunction corresponds συστοιχεῖ G4960 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular present-day νῦν G3568 Adverb Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλήμ G2419 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular because γὰρ G1063 Conjunction she is in slavery δουλεύει G1398 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular with μετὰ G3326 Preposition her αὐτῆς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural children τέκνων G5043 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Verse 26

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλὴμ G2419 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular above ἄνω G507 Adverb is ἐστίν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular free ἐλευθέρα G1658 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular [and she] ἥτις G3748 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular is ἐστὶν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular our ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural mother μήτηρ G3384 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Verse 27

Original words

For γάρ G1063 Conjunction it is written γέγραπται G1125 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Rejoice Εὐφράνθητι G2165 Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person Singular [O] barren woman στεῖρα G4723 Noun - Vocative Feminine Singular who G3588 Article - Vocative Feminine Singular vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb bears no children τίκτουσα G5088 Verb - Present Participle Active - Vocative Feminine Singular break forth ῥῆξον G4486 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction cry aloud βόησον G994 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular [you] who G3588 Article - Vocative Feminine Singular {have} never οὐκ G3756 Adverb travailed ὠδίνουσα G5605 Verb - Present Participle Active - Vocative Feminine Singular because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction vvv πολλὰ G4183 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural more μᾶλλον G3123 Adverb [are] the τὰ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Plural children τέκνα G5043 Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular desolate woman ἐρήμου G2048 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular than G2228 Conjunction of her who τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular has ἐχούσης G2192 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Feminine Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular a husband ἄνδρα G435 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Isaiah 54:1
Verse 28

Original words

Now δέ G1161 Conjunction you Ὑμεῖς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural brothers ἀδελφοί G80 Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural like κατὰ G2596 Preposition Isaac Ἰσαὰκ G2464 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular are ἐστέ G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural children τέκνα G5043 Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural of promise ἐπαγγελίας G1860 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • WH, BYZ, and TR we
Verse 29

Original words

At that time τότε G5119 Adverb however ἀλλ’ G235 Conjunction the [son] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular born γεννηθεὶς G1080 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular by κατὰ G2596 Preposition [the] flesh σάρκα G4561 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular persecuted ἐδίωκεν G1377 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the [son born] τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular by κατὰ G2596 Preposition [the] Spirit Πνεῦμα G4151 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular vvv ὥσπερ G5618 Adverb [It is] the same οὕτως G3779 Adverb . . . καὶ G2532 Conjunction now νῦν G3568 Adverb
Verse 30

Original words

But Ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction what τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular {does} the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular Scripture γραφή G1124 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular say λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Expel Ἔκβαλε G1544 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular slave woman παιδίσκην G3814 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction her αὐτῆς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular son υἱὸν G5207 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular for γὰρ G1063 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular vvv τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular slave woman’s παιδίσκης G3814 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular son υἱὸς G5207 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb will never share in the inheritance κληρονομήσει G2816 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular with μετὰ G3326 Preposition the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular vvv τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular free [woman’s] ἐλευθέρας G1658 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular son υἱοῦ G5207 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Genesis 21:10
Verse 31

Original words

Therefore διό G1352 Conjunction brothers ἀδελφοί G80 Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural we are ἐσμὲν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural not οὐκ G3756 Adverb children τέκνα G5043 Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural of [the] slave woman παιδίσκης G3814 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular free [woman] ἐλευθέρας G1658 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.